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Video: The Ebola Response of 2014-2015

Dr. Inger Damon is one of the world’s foremost experts on orthopoxviruses including monkeypox and smallpox, the latter an infectious disease that killed millions each year until it was eradicated in 1979. Eradication was largely due to the success of global vaccination campaigns integrated with public health approaches and systems. Her experience with smallpox vaccine development is helping her expedite the development of Ebola vaccines, therapeutics, and additional diagnostics.

As head of CDC’s response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa during 2014-2015, Dr. Damon was responsible for establishing a strategic direction and managing the day-to-day operation of the largest international emergency response in CDC history. “I have years of experience doing the core public health work that’s required to stop this Ebola epidemic,” says Damon. “The same tools we used to fight Ebola – focusing on community involvement, education, case identification including diagnostics, contact tracing, and isolation – were used to wipe out smallpox and are still used for monkeypox control.”